In recent years, modular construction has become a top choice for both temporary and permanent building solutions. Although this type of construction often brings to mind trailers with wheels or a rectangular-shaped temporary building, there’s a lot more to modular. Modular construction provides an excellent solution for creating permanent structures quickly and efficiently, while still remaining Continue reading
I would imagine that modular building manufacturers experience some of the highest levels of workplace satisfaction anywhere in industry. Disclaimer: I have worked as a manual laborer many times, though none of those times required me to engage more than ~3% of my brain, and none of them were in any way satisfying (except for the summer when I was paid to tie shrubs to the back of a four-wheeler and drive away at top speed). I may not be in any position to say this, but I don’t think I would Continue reading
When I was in high school, I joined the cross country team because my older brother was on it, running requires only as much coordination as it takes to consistently make ground contact with your feet and there were no Continue reading
When I was growing up, my family moved only once. We moved about a mile and a half away from our first house to a place with an extra bedroom and a bigger dining room. In all other ways, our new house resembled our old house. Same neighborhood, same yard size and even the same basic layout. There was one novel difference, though: the backyard shed. In our first house, our garage was used to house two cars and all manner of garden tools, bikes, toys, cleaning supplies and Continue reading
Portable steel building manufacturers make an important contribution to America’s economy. Let me try to give my argument some context. As a consequence of the United States’ economy having developed so quickly and robustly during the period that followed World War II, the US developed a real estate infrastructure that required the development of an industry that offered alternative structure options. Let’s imagine that we’re in a car together, driving down a main arterial road in a Midwestern suburb. There are a few things that should come to your mind immediately when you think of Continue reading
Modular buildings aren’t intended only for use as temporary structures within larger buildings. Nor are they intended only for applications as temporary or movable security or information booths. Though it’s true that modular buildings are popular temporary structures, and it’s also true that modular buildings are popular for use as booths, they also are popular as alternatives to non-modular, permanent building construction. Modular buildings can be excellent choices for Continue reading
By Margie Schramke of Panel Built, Inc.
Many think they understand the advantages of modular construction: They know that it’s pre-engineered, fast, quality-controlled and minimally disruptive to a jobsite. What some people don’t think about, however, is one of the most pleasant features of modular construction. It is, by its very nature, “green.”
by Conrad Walker of Panel Built, Inc.
One of the most important features of a modular building, or any building for that matter, is the fire rating.
There are many different levels of fire rating, and in some cases, the differences can be subtle. Understanding the difference between Class A, Class C, and 1-hour fire rated panels will ensure you select the right building for the right application; and can mean a lot less insurance headaches down the road.
by Conrad Walker of Panel Built, Inc.
If your business is considering expanding, one of the key decisions on the table may be the choice between modular construction and traditional stick built or “hard” construction.
Some of the typical considerations when making this choice are cost, lead time, and code requirements. While this is a good starting point, there are other things to consider such as waste, business down time, ease of expansion/modification, and environmental impact. The following is meant to be a guide that will help compare the two building methods and their benefits – specifically in regard to industrial and commercial buildings such as in-plant offices, modular offices, machine enclosure rooms, etc.
Time
One of the most important factors on any job is time. Lead time, build time, and down time are all important to the building process and can greatly improve or destroy the flow of the project. A traditional “stick built” structure is typically drawn by an architect and approved by the customer. The materials are then delivered to the site (often coming in multiple loads throughout the duration of the project), and the building is constructed. Best case scenario; a small in plant office is completed; start to finish, in about a month’s time. Over two weeks of that time is spent on-site, hindering Continue reading
Modular building image courtesy of American Partitions.
Modular buildings are mainstays in industry. They are used for a wide range of applications, all of which include the creation of space for specific purposes. Modular buildings can be built to produce space for security guard posts, bus stop shelters, offices within factories and warehouses, meeting and planning spaces at construction sites and a large variety of other applications. In addition to these normal-seeming applications, modular buildings are employed for some unusual applications, the likes of which may Continue reading